Ending a Deutsche Telekom contract

[Adi 12]

Friend has been told she needs to give 3 months notice to quit her DTelekom connection - she will be out of the country in 2 weeks. Anyone else have this experience - is it really 3 months to quit???

[Dusty 15]

Yes. Standard practice with most contracts including mobile phones

[dawn 0]

Just checking if 3 months is still standard practice? And is the best way (most reliable) of giving notice by mailing a letter, emailing, or going in person and presenting a letter? i don't speak german but i have a letter written by a german. thanks.

[YorkshireLad6 7,152]

It's definitely not standard practice. It depends on the service and the contract you signed when you started out. Some simpler (phone only) services have a 6-day cancellation period. Other (complete phone and internet packages) have a minimum two years and renew annually for another year if not cancelled between one and three months before the anniversary of sign-up. This means, worst case, assuming you are beyond the minimum period you may have to wait for up to 15 months to cancel. If you are cancelling because you are leaving the country, you can sometimes get out sooner, if they accept you as an exceptional cancellation, but you still may have to pay a financial penalty. If you don't have access to the original contract you can get a copy by checking your service description on a recent invoice and downloading the relevant AGB or simply writing to Telekom telling them you want to cancel "at the next possible opportunity" and see what termination date they send you in reply.

[dawn 0]

Thank you kindly, YorkshireLad6. My problem is that I can't read the German contracts. Stupid, I know.

[Beneedle67 0]

Hi to you All

 

I am looking for advice/help/info

 

I left my flat in Germany and cancelled my utilities, (as you do, with plenty of notice) and my permanent address is now my London UK address. When I am here in Germany I stay at a friend's who already has his fixed line service provided by Deutsch Telekom in his name.

 

I have received a letter from Deutsch Telekom saying that they would accept my cancellation but I would have to pay the half of the rest of the monthly bills until the contract was over in July 2010 -239 Euros.

 

Before I had entered into anything with Deutsch Telekom I had phoned them up and asked about the 2 year contract period because not being a total idiot all the time, I had tried to inform myself of possible catches.

 

I had explained that I would very likely NOT be in Germany on a full time basis for 2 years but wanted to have a DSL connection whilst I was here and what with the 2 year minimum contract time.

 

I was assured with absolute clarity that there was no Problem in cancelling the service 'bei Auszug' (Moving out of your home). Something he repeated more than once.

 

I have also written and said that I would accept there service at my new address in London (if they think we are in a contract) but could not see why I should be penalised because they cannot provide there service to me in the UK. Do I have to stay at my old address in order to enable Deutsch Telekom to provide their service to me or be penalised for moving home?

 

Interestingly they have never sent me a bill for this 239 euro amount but only want a direct debit mandate to allow them to take money directly out of my German bank acct. (I have no direct debit mandate with Deutsch Telekom and never have had)

 

I have refused to give them a direct debit authority with the result that they now send me monthly bills for my landline at my old German address to my new British address followed by a demand. In other words, as I understand it, they have refused to shut down my line and are just carrying on as if I were there (at my old address) and using their service but refusing to pay.

 

This has been dragging on for three months. I have sent them proof of my British address. I have sent letters telling them that I was told with 100% assurance that there was no problem in cancelling 'bei Auszug'

 

I had accepted what I was told because

a. It seemed reasonable to me - how can you be expected to pay for something that you cannot possibly receive because you do not live there

 

b. It did not occur to me that a Deutsch Telekom representative would lie in order to get a contract.

 

I hope I am clear about my predicament.

 

Does anybody know how to handle this? Has anyone had a similar experience? Has been taken to court for non payment on this basis?

 

Thank you. Ben Eedle

[YorkshireLad6 7,152]

You are correct in your premise that if they cannot provide service at your new address then you have exceptional reasons for cancellation. That does not mean, however that they cannot penalise you in some way for the early cancellation (their business model is based on these contracts which require all 24 months of payments for them to make a profit). Anything you were told on the phone is not relevant (unless you can definitively prove it). Their written terms and conditions form a contract binding to both sides when you signed up. That's clear in this contract that you had a 2-year contract. You have to look at what may happen if you fight this to a court. They might say that you knew you would be leaving Germany when you signed up for the contract (backed up with your admitted persistence to get the salesman to confirm you could cancel the contract "if" you left the country) - if you KNEW you would be leaving then you should not have signed a tied contract in the first place. They MIGHT also say they have good reason to charge a penalty for early cancellation and that 50% of the outstanding costs is fair. You can only appeal to their better nature - their case would seem to be strong to enforce the penalty. How hard they will try to actually enforce it (lawyers, courts, etc.) with you now living outside of direct German jurisdiction remains to be seen and will be down to your battle of nerves with them and who relents first.

[El Jeffo 42,123]

Every time they send you a bill, send it back with the same letter stating what you said before - that you had been promised early cancellation would be possible in the event you left the country, and of course you're a poor Ausländer who can't make heads or tails of their contractual conditions, because the German is so convoluted. And ask why the Telekom Group, with subsidiaries in the UK and US, can't afford to have their contract terms translated into English for their international customers.

 

Send the letter in English one month and in German the next. I'll bet they cave.

[Guest]

I bet they dont cave...

[YorkshireLad6 7,152]

If this has been going on for three months then they will shortly put the case into the hands of a lawyer/debt collector. Once that happens there will be little turning back as collecting debts earns them money and Telekom will have washed their hands of it. If I were you I would act now and CALL them (or have someone call them). If you can plead your case to a real person then you've a chance they will see sense and press the button that cancels the debt. You've nothing to lose. Writing letters (especially in English) and making silly "I didn't understand" pleas will get you no-where as legally you don't have much of a leg to stand on. Common sense in the hands of a faceless human who does not make money by pursuing your debt is your only chance...

[sarabyrd 18,767]

 

and of course you're a poor Ausländer who can't make heads or tails of their contractual conditions, because the German is so convoluted.

This argument gets you nowhere. If you don't understand a contract don't sign it. Law 101.

[Beneedle67 0]

Good Morning,

 

Thank you all for your interesting remarks some of which made me laugh (eg. I bet they don't cave in.) Weighing it all up and being sick to death of it (Life is simply too short) I have phoned Deutsch Telekom this morning to see if we can find a solution.

 

And I have spoken to the 20th Customer Service Representative that doesn't know what I am talking about. (This is all in German by the way - I lived there for 4 years so I have a certain level of German - not the best but sort of can).

 

To the problems I have discovered through this phone call.

 

1. Although they have received my proof of my new address in the UK they will not accept it. I had sent them a copy of my driving license (old style with my British address on it) and a recent bank statement with my address on it. My first question is therefore does anyone know what they will accept? I explained that we do not have an 'Einwohnermelderamt' as such.

 

2. There is another complication here and that is that I am often in Germany where I stay with a freind and his family - (I have my little room. It is a bit like being a student.) And it is true that I am floating at the moment between Lands - I am self employed. He has his Deutsch Telekom connection - (landline, dsl etc. I am not sure what his 'Pakette' actually is but not difficult to find out.)

 

I am wondering if it were not simpler to make his address official, give his address as my official address and say that there is already a connection here. What do you think?

 

3. It seems that there is no escape from an 'Ablösung Summe' basically a Cancellation Fee of between 200 and 300 Euros.

 

4. In great britain one is always advised to keep in contact and not to just go silent (which is when they do pass it on to debt collectors etc.) Do you think the same thing applies here. I have been very clear this morning that I wish to find a solution, that I am seeking a solution, that it has gone on for far too long and I have asked her to please make a record of my phone call.

 

Actually sincerely it is getting me down, I do want a solution and an end to the unpleaseant letters etc etc.

 

Thank again for your input.

Ben Eedle

[Beneedle67 0]

Good morning.

 

Oh dear. I am really stuck.

 

Does anyone know what Deutsch Telekom will accept as proof of residency in the UK? How on earth does one prove residency generally? (They will not accept my driving license and bank statements and all the utilities - council tax etc are not in my name.

 

I would be really grateful for any input, advice.

 

Thank you.

 

Ben Eedle

[YorkshireLad6 7,152]

Did you ask them what they will accept?

 

In Germany you can get an "Anmeldebestätigung" from your local council - quite simply a signed letter confirming your registration of abode. I'm sure Telekom would accept a similar letter from your local UK council confirming your registration for council tax, or maybe even your council tax statement. Neither of these are really the same as the German equivalent but they must be similar enough to be acceptable to someone who really does not know the difference.

 

When you de-registered from your German residence, did the paperwork ("Abmeldung") indicate your anticipated new residence in UK?

[Ipatronius 1]

 

This argument gets you nowhere. If you don't understand a contract don't sign it. Law 101.

 

Great advice (sarcasm) since this is a forum for English Speakers in Germany. A good number of native Germans can't understand convoluted German contracts, let alone foreigners with basic language understanding, if that. What do you suggest, hiring a professional translator every time you sign up for something in Germany?

 

I have now found myself in this unfortunate position. I signed up for DT phone internet service (a new contract with a cheaper internet rate) two years ago. A week after I did, Kabel Deutschland came out with an offer of faster internet AND phone service for the same price. DT of course wouldn't let me cancel as I had just signed a two year contract. OK, fine I thought, I'll wait out the two years and cancel then. So here I am exactly two years later, I had KD hook up and went to DT to cancel my phone service. "Sorry, we renewed your contract for another year because you didn't give us three months notice so we won't disconnect your service until this time next year and of course, continue stealing money directly from you bank account because we can and you can't stop us." What? I only signed a two year contract! What kind of contract law allows such ridiculousness? What a screwed up country. Of course they don't TELL you this when you sign the contract, knowing full well you can't read it.

 

So my question is: Is there any way to get out of this besides leaving the country (which probably wouldn't be a bad choice at this point)? I didn't sign up for another year and I can't believe they can get away with this.

[trule 33]

The renewing of contracts is unfortunately normal in Germany. If you want you can normally immediately cancel the contract for a fee, or offer to use the connection 24/7 to stream video thus making keeping the connection no longer profitable for them. Perhaps then they will come to a reasonable agreement?

[YorkshireLad6 7,152]

 

Of course they don't TELL you this when you sign the contract, knowing full well you can't read it.

So my question is: Is there any way to get out of this besides leaving the country (which probably wouldn't be a bad choice at this point)? I didn't sign up for another year and I can't believe they can get away with this.

 

Of course they told you. It's in the contract you signed, the confirmation they sent you and all over their website. It's no secret and it's common practice. Why should they pander to the hundreds of languages in the world? This is Germany, where business is conducted, in the main in German. If you are signing something you don't or can't understand then have someone help you, or, for heavens sake ask on Toytown.

And no, you can't get out of the contract for another year, but be sure to send the cancellation now so you don't forget in 12 months time

[Bell the cat 429]

 

their business model is based on these contracts which require all 24 months of payments for them to make a profit

 

 

 

this is what absolutely infuriates me about Deutsche Telekom. Who cares about their business model if it is so cumbersome and unworkable that it disadvantages the customers. When I first set up the office here in Germany, they failed to connect us to phone or internet for over three months. I had to work out of an internet cafe using my mobile phone. When they finally connected me I found out that they had debited the company account for the fiull amount in each of the months that they failed to provide a servioce (we had an international flatrate account). When I tried to claim this back I was told that it is not DT's policy to refund customers for services they did not get. For the next two years we were arbitrarily cut off multiple times and then charged each time we called them and an engineer had to come and repair the connection. I found the,m constantly unhelpful, incompetent and the standard of service has to have been the worst I have ever had from a service provider. Truly the worst company in the world. I was utterly gobsmacked and as soon as we could Kundig we did and got M-Net instead. By contrast M-Net are flexible, responsive and provided a service for us from day one.

[YorkshireLad6 7,152]

I have exactly the opposite experience. I've had two line failures in 5 years. One was on a Friday night, the other following a lightning strike. Their service commitment is to accept fault calls out of hours/weekends but not to react to them until the next working day. Following my call to them just before midnight I had an engineer at my door at 7am the next (Saturday) morning and was up an running again by 8am. The fault was actually (albeit indirectly) of my own doing, but apart from having a laugh about it, I was not charged as I really should have been. The lightning strike was more onerous - it took about 4 days to fix as outside cabling was destroyed. For the early stages they diverted calls to my mobile and faxes to email. After 2 days they provided a temporary line, and 4 days later everything was back to normal. Their terms and conditions require them to pay compensation for disconnection more than 1 working day. I faxed my claim, had an answer back a day later and around €60 credit on my account at the next invoice for 4 days loss of service. They also refunded all my mobile calls and call-forwarding charges as well as the UMTS Internet solution costs I had used as a back up.

[Darkknight 2,305]

Now was all this great service on your Business or Private/Home line? Big difference, as the Contract details are very different.